A dog regenerates a body part that may surprise you; plus microbes, neurons and climate change

Arriving on February 3 is a photo of a cute little French bully who did an incredible trick with his jaw. Good boy! (Click!) Happy Saturday. Here’s a summary that includes information about additive printing of neurons, evidence that microbes like things, and the change in temperature between day and night.

Remarkable puppy

A study in Frontiers of Veterinary Science titled “Good Boy Grows New Jawbone”, then impressively retitled “Spontaneous Mandibular Body Regeneration After Unilateral Subtotal Mandibulectomy in a 3-Month-Old French Bulldog”, documents a cute puppy’s spontaneous regrowth of his lower left mandible after a surgical removal due to cancer.

The dog’s owners initially introduced Tyson to Cornell Dentistry and Oral Surgery to correct his cleft palate when veterinarians detected cancer. Although removing the mandible was a harsh treatment, they determined that because Tyson had no signs of metastasis, he had the opportunity to lead a full life.

Amazingly, over the next few weeks, Tyson spontaneously regenerated his left lower jaw, although the new bone had no teeth and lacked other features. Veterinarians attribute the regeneration in part to the amount of periosteum preserved during surgery; the tissue contains blood vessels and nerves that support the growth of the original mandible. I have a gigantic puppy dog, and I’m trying, unsuccessfully, to imagine containing abundant puppy energy in an e-collar for an extended period of months while he gathers his face.

Extruded brain

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed the first 3D-printed brain tissue, likely as part of a recreation of the opening credits of “Westworld.” The 3D printed tissue is functionally identical to natural brain tissue, and this achievement could have applications in neuroscience and stem cell biology.

Traditionally, 3D printing stacks layers of substrate vertically, which has hindered previous attempts by other research groups. In this project, the layers were printed horizontally using a softer bio-ink gel than previous efforts. In a nutritious growth medium, individual neurons were able to grow into each other and communicate via signals, interact with neurotransmitters, and form networks.

Unlike existing techniques used to produce brain organoids used for brain research, this technique offers precision and control. Additionally, it does not require specialized equipment or methods and can therefore be adopted immediately by other research laboratories.

Microbes discerning

If you’ve ever felt an irresistible attraction to large, complex polysaccharides, check yourself for cilia: you might be a marine bacteria. Using technology developed to advance environmental sanitation, ETH Zurich researchers report that bacteria can recognize small food molecules and swim toward large, complex polymers.

Previously, researchers thought that bacteria were blind to polymers and attracted to diffusible substances like sugar. They used a microfluidic chip containing small chambers to determine that marine bacteria follow the concentration gradient of a phytoplankton-derived polymer called laminarin. With the new discovery that bacteria have a more complex sensorium than previously thought, researchers are now investigating whether they recognize other complex substances.

Complicated atmosphere

During the 1990s, temperature increases between night and day were asymmetric, with greater nighttime warming. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology now report that the trend, first documented in the 1950s, has reversed, with greater daytime warming; researchers say this notable temperature difference could affect all life on Earth.

They suggest that this change is due to global brightening, the result of reduced cloud cover, allowing more sunlight to reach the Earth’s surface. Due to the complexity of atmospheric dynamics and how they can be affected by factors such as sunlight, aerosols and increased atmospheric carbon, it remains unclear why cloud cover has decreased. Additionally, heat waves and regional droughts may have weakened the cooling effects of evaporation under sunlight. Earth sciences are complicated.

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